Elizabeth (Beth) Pasternak brings nearly two decades of experience as a pediatric nurse and leader at the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital (Mott) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. A graduate of Michigan State University with a BSN, Beth began her career in Pediatric Heme/Onc/BMT before transitioning in 2013 to the Mott Stepping Stones Pediatric Palliative Care program. She furthered her expertise with a Master’s in Pain Research, Education, and Policy from Tufts University School of Medicine and is certified as a Hospice and Palliative Care Pediatric Nurse (CHPPN)
Beth is recognized for her unwavering dedication to patient care, leadership in pediatric pain management, and advocacy for ChildKind International certification, making Mott the first certified hospital in Michigan in 2022. Throughout her tenure, Beth has been instrumental in developing best practices for complex pain management, championing opioid stewardship, and promoting non-pharmacologic approaches that address the intricate biopsychosocial aspects of pain. Her role at Mott encompasses patient consultation, assessment, and treatment, ensuring a comprehensive approach to care.
Beth co-chaired the University of Michigan Nursing Quality Excellence Pain & Comfort Subcommittee and was a key contributor to the development of the Mott Pediatric Pain Resource Nurse (PRN). This initiative empowers frontline nurses to integrate evidence-based pain practices and foster interprofessional collaboration, significantly enhancing patient experiences and outcomes. In 2023, Beth and her colleague were honored at the American Society for Pain Management Nursing (ASPMN) Conference, receiving the Best Overall Poster award for their work on optimizing pediatric pain management through the development of the Pediatric Pain Resource Nurse (PRN) program.